I am attempting to swim the 10 largest Swiss lakes. A total of 369 Km of swimming. This will be the most difficult challenge i have ever taken on. I have never attempted more than one big swim within a year due to the demands that are put on my body and the mental strain it takes to just get to the end of one of these huge swims.

The Lakes:
Lugano - 30km
Constance 62km
Neuchatel -37km
Biel -15km
Maggiore - 54km
Zug - 12.7km
Lucerne -34km
Zurich - 36.2km
Thun - 16.6km
Leman - 72km

Last year i swam Lake Geneva and broke the 38 year old record - a feat that took me two years to complete due to unfortunately failing at my first attempt as i got hypothermia after a drastic fall in water temperature 19 hours into the swim. After this achievement i feel a strong connection to the country, the beautiful scenery, and the amazing people and this has drawn me back and i couldn't think of a better location to complete this challenge and raise awareness for two charities that are very close to my heart.

My son Jack caught tonsillitis at 18 months old and his behaviour drastically changed over night. He went to bed a happy, healthy little boy and woke up someone we didn't recognise. Jack developed aggression, OCD, a tic, refused to eat and became scared to even leave the house.

The scariest part was that nobody could offer a diagnosis or help bring Jack back to us. We spent years visiting doctors and googling help, whilst Jack kept having recurring tonsillitis and his symptoms became progressively worse. We finally came across a family sharing their own story of PANDAS. We found the doctor who had helped their son and within weeks of treatment Jack's symptoms had dramatically improved.

Jack is now a happy and healthy 9 year old boy and thriving at school and in his sports. We know how lucky we are that Jack is doing so well and is currently symptom free. It is because of this I want to share our story and complete this swim so hopefully it can help other families who are desperate to find a diagnosis for their children.

PANS PANDAS UK are the only UK charity created to educate the medical community and general public about these conditions with a view to ensuring better diagnosis and early effective treatment for those affected with these little recognised but life changing conditions.

The Brain Charity help people with all forms of neurological condition to lead longer, healthier, happier lives
There are more than 600 conditions affecting the brain, spinal cord and nervous system. They champion neurodiversity and provide practical help, emotional support and social activities for every single one.

My son was diagnosed with PANDAS when he was just 18 months old so I have seen first hand how important the work that the charities do is.
Please support my challenge as every single penny counts. Help PANS PANDAS UK and The Brain Charity to be there for more families.